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Nanaimo, Parksville and Area

hot button issue
Cable Bay rezoning bid draws fiery public hearing
NANAIMO - An overflowing crowd crammed into the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (VICC) where emotions occasionally ran high over proposed intensive industrial development plans in the Duke Point area.Nanaimo Forest Products (NFP) which operates Harmac Pacific pulp mill, is attempting to rezone the majority of 950 P...
14h ago
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flying lights
Unique glow-in-the-dark disc golf returning to Ladysmith park
LADYSMITH - The growing sport of disc golf is poised to be shown in a whole new light. For the second time in as many years, staff from the Town of Ladysmith and other community groups are hosting a glow-in-the-dark disc golf event at Transfer Beach Park, beginning at dusk on Friday, April 17 and running until around 1...
Apr 16, 2026
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equestrian event
Farriers hoof it to Nanaimo's Beban Park for horseshoe care clinic
NANAIMO - Horse owners have a chance to learn from some of the best farriers in Western Canada this week.Dozens of farriers from near and far are at Nanaimo's Beban Park this week for a super clinic on proper care, maintenance, and construction of horseshoes. Put on by the Western Canadian Farriers Association (WCFS), ...
Apr 16, 2026
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unregulated supply
Toxic street drugs claim nine more lives in Nanaimo
NANAIMO - Unregulated and toxic street drugs claimed seven lives in Nanaimo in February. The latest BC Coroners Service report (BCCS) showed 115 British Columbians died in February province-wide, down from 150 in January. The service said that equates to about 4.1 deaths per day and that 78 per cent of the people who d...
Apr 16, 2026
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delivery changes
Canada Post beginning work to end most door-to-door mail delivery
OTTAWA - Canada Post is starting preliminary work to convert addresses that receive door-to-door mail to community mailboxes and phase out some post offices. The Crown corporation says the process is beginning after meetings with union officials. In a ...
Apr 16, 2026
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Faster & more affordable
Minister hopes prefabrication expands further to new school builds
NANAIMO - While it's unclear how far down the prefabrication road the B.C. government is going, it appears the quicker build technology is here to stay. B.C. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma answered questions regarding prefabrication for public school additions, as well as new schools, during a recent Ladysmith news ...
Apr 16, 2026
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British Columbia

14 assessed by paramedics after 'hazmat incident' at Chilliwack, B.C., park
CHILLIWACK - Fourteen people were assessed by paramedics after what emergency officials call a "hazmat incident" at a park in Chilliwack, B.C. Emergency Health Services says in a statement that three ambulances and a supervisor were called to Portage P...
6h ago
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Kelowna, B.C., allowed to opt out of short-term rental rules this summer
The business community is applauding British Columbia's decision to allow the Okanagan city of Kelowna to opt out of rules limiting short-term rentals in time for this summer's tourism season, though some say the move is overdue. The B.C. government an...
9h ago
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wildfire fight
Climate change is eroding typical nighttime breaks in wildfire activity, study says
Climate change is breaking down typical nighttime lulls in wildfire activity, a new study by researchers in Canada suggests, eroding opportunities for crews to contain the intensifying blazes. The study co-authored by researchers in British Columbia a...
9h ago
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B.C. 'chemical fingerprint' scheme to track illicit drugs is likened to DNA tests
VANCOUVER - Tucked in the basement of the chemistry building at the University of British Columbia, an arm-sized robot carries out the repetitive task of collecting and weighing colourful vials as machinery whirrs in the background. It's part of a uni...
10h ago
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Rural B.C. communities ask province to support foreign worker program changes
Leaders in some of British Columbia's rural communities are calling on the provincial government to support changes to the temporary foreign worker program or businesses will have to start shutting their doors. Tiffany Hetenyi, executive director of t...
19h ago
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Wet and mild winter is 'good news' for B.C. wildfire season, says forecaster
VICTORIA - The lead forecaster for the BC Wildfire Service said a relatively wet and mild winter across much of British Columbia is "really good news" for the upcoming wildfire season. Matt MacDonald said a lack of frost meant trees and soil were able...
Apr 16, 2026
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Canada

'They suck': Lutnick criticizes Canada's trade strategy
OTTAWA - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick attacked Canada's trade strategy on Friday, adding, "They suck." Lutnick was responding to a report in the Financial Post quoting Canada's former chief trade negotiator Steve Verheul saying time is on Can...
7h ago
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Champagne says Conservative probes into Alto connection are 'just politics'
OTTAWA - Finance Minister Francois Philippe Champagne is brushing off Conservative calls for an investigation into his personal relationship with an Alto executive and the proposed high-speed rail project as "just politics." Michael Barrett, the Conser...
8h ago
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Internal audit informed Liberals' defence procurement reforms, government says
OTTAWA - A recent internal audit that outlined major problems in military procurement led to some of the changes to the system introduced under Prime Minister Mark Carney, the federal government said on Friday. A spokesperson for Stephen Fuhr, secretar...
8h ago
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Anthropic's Mythos shows need to 'come to grips' with AI risks: BoC governor
Global financial systems need to "come to grips" with the risks posed by rapid advances in artificial intelligence models like Anthropic's Mythos, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said on Friday. Developer Anthropic claims the upcoming Mythos model...
8h ago
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Climate change is eroding typical nighttime breaks in wildfire activity, study says
Climate change is breaking down typical nighttime lulls in wildfire activity, a new study by researchers in Canada suggests, eroding opportunities for crews to contain the intensifying blazes. The study co-authored by researchers in British Columbia a...
9h ago
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Federal government needs more desk space as public servants return to office: PSPC
OTTAWA - In less than three months, the federal government's order requiring most public servants to attend the office four days a week - up from the current benchmark of three days - takes effect. There's just one hitch. It doesn't have room for all o...
9h ago
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